Turn the clock back forty years, and one would probably find 26-year-old singer-songwriter Nick Drake alone in his bedroom in the leafy, chocolate-box environs of Tanworth-in-Arden, Warwickshire. Deflated, defeated, dented and depressed – Nick’s energy for life had evaporated in a fog of sadness and unfulfilled ambition – the prevailing morbidity dulled only by strong tranquillisers.

Stephen Dale Petit is a genius. He is simply a musical and a lyrical genius in his own right. His album Cracking the code is evident of this. Stephen is truly a great songwriter and poet. When playing live he can really play. It's no wonder Rolling Stone Mick Taylor and The Black Keys Patrick Carney joined forces with him on his album Cracking the code. He is that good and listening to his album is emotional.

Included in Thurston Moore's album Demolished Thoughts is a magical booklet. It contains the album's lyrics, personal photos, collage and a few poems by Mr Moore. One of the poems is called "small press" and ends with these lines;

Marking the 20th anniversary of her music-making career by revisiting some of the songs that have signposted her travels from folk club upstart to one of Britain's most distinctive and much-loved voices.

I'll admit that I arrived late to the Grouper party. Liz Harris's Portland-based solo project has been going since 2006, developing from a drone-heaby basement act into what has become essential listening. Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill was the album that finally made me appreciate Grouper's magnificent sound. It offers a way into her dense, nocturnal world.

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ZANI was conceived in late 2008 and the fan base gradually grew by word of mouth. Key contributors came from those of the music, film and fashion industry and the voice of ZANI grew louder. So, when in 2013 investor, contributor and fan of ZANI Alan McGee* offered his support to help restyle and relaunch the site it was inevitable that traffic would increase dramatically and continues to grow. *Alan McGee co-founder of Creation Records and new label 359 Music..

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ZANI is an independent online magazine for readers interested in contemporary culture, covering Music, Film & TV, Sport, Art amongst other cultural topics. Relevant to modern times ZANI is a dynamic website and a flagship for creative movement and thinking wherever our readers live in the world.